TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hillsborough officials to reopen schools after swine flu fears

ADVERTISEMENT

By ADAM EMERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 5, 2009

Updated: 05/05/2009 06:52 pm

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County school district will reopen three schools on Thursday that closed due to the threat of swine flu.

The schools will give cleanup crews time to complete their scrub-down of Freedom High School, Liberty Middle School and Wilson Middle School, which were originally closed for the week.

Federal health officials today said the impact of the virus has been milder than anticipated and the toll of closing a school has done more to add stress to families than it has done to stop the flu's spread.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week advised schools to shut down for about two weeks if there were suspected cases of swine flu. Hundreds of schools around the country have followed that guidance and closed schools.

The agency reversed that decision today and said schools that were closed now can reopen.

Hillsborough schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia said the county health department recommended that crews finish cleaning common areas and places students are likely to touch, such as desks, doors and stair railings.

If more suspected cases of swine flu surface among students, the school district won't close those schools, Elia said.

She added, however, that students showing flu-like symptoms should see a doctor and stay home for seven days. If students arrive at school showing those symptoms, they'll be sent home, she said.

The virus was suspected in a student at Wilson Middle in South Tampa and a student at Freedom High in New Tampa. Liberty Middle was closed because it shares a cafeteria with Freedom High.

The district contacted families and teachers of the reopening through its automated system. Elia said she didn't believe there would be a problem bringing people back to work by Thursday.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT